PILOT SCHEME TO SUPOPRT SMALL ENTERPRISES TAKES OFF

A rural Enterprise Pilot Project jointly financed by the government and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) has taken off on a pilot basis in the Techiman and Sekyere West Districts in Brong-Ahafo and Ashanti Regions.

Mr. Kwasi Atta-Antwi, co-ordinator of the project, made this known FAD for over 500 small scale industrialist at Techiman on Tuesday.

The project aims at meeting policies an techincal institutional development at the district level in supoprt of the rural poor.

It is also intended to support local artisan and enterprenuers to meet the needs of agricultural producers and enhance linkages between smallholder agriculture and rural enterprises to improve upon their skills.

Mr. Atta-Antwi said the seven-year project would intially cover the Sekyere West and Techiman district and, when successfully implemented, would be extended to cover the other nine districts in both regions.

Mr. Atta-Antwi said negotiations were fare advanced forIFAD and the government to give credit facilities though banks small- scale industrialists to enable them to expand their businesses.

Mr. Yeboah Duah, director of the policy, planning and evaluation department of the National Board of Small Scale Industries (NBSS), said the board weould organise entrepeneurial training course for both masters and apprentices on project.

Mr. Kwaku Assumaning, a representative of the Department of Feeder Roads, said as part of the programme, 50 kilometers of road would be rehabilited of foodstuffs to the marketing centres.

Mr. Praka Asante, Director of the Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology and Industrial Services (GRATIS), said the idea behind the establishment of rural enterprise project was to ensure that Intermediate Technology Transfer Units (ITTU's) were set up in the districts.

He said since technology was an important factor in the developmemt of every country, he was hopeful that the skills of small-scale industrialist would be greatly improved to enable them to contribute positively to development.

Mr. Francis Yaw Gyarko, Techiman District Chief Exective, said the strategic position of the town would assist in providing a suitable market for the products of industrialist.

Nana Owusu Agyere II, Akwamuhene of Techiman who cahire the function, thanked the government for sitting one projects in the town.